Ordinarily, the removal of subsidy on petrol, kerosene, diesel and electricity is expected to free up billions of naira for the government to use for other social and economic needs.
All these seem to be so contentious now, as the negative implications of fuel subsidy removal have brought a lot of hardship to Nigerians.
One can easily see that it has led to a decrease in economic growth in the short term, increased inflation and poverty and the loss of jobs in the informal sector.
Since petrol subsidy was removed on May 29, 2023, the entire economy has been thrown into crisis.
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Thousands of tricycle and bike operators have stopped operating due to their inability to buy petrol. Market women and farmers are finding it difficult to cope.
Although the government is planning to give palliatives to citizens to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, this is just temporary relief and may not reach millions of people.
It is absolutely wrong for Nigeria to join the developed nations that have stable, more productive, and better-managed economies to remove subsidy.
The government needs to understand that there is nothing that the citizenry enjoys apart from subsidy on oil.
I, therefore, appeal to President Tinubu to bring back our oil subsidy as soon as possible.
Fatima Abubakar Maiduguri, Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri [email protected]
